Salesforce is a recognized leader in sales automatization software and one of the most popular platforms on the CRM market, according to Gartner. Salesforce is helpful in marketing, sales, and customer service, but like everything, it has its strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s take a closer look at the Salesforce pros and cons.
Cloud deployment
For
As Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM, you don’t need an extensive development team or physical infrastructure and can spend fewer IT-resources than while building a local CRM.
You can connect to Salesforce anytime from everywhere in the world.
Easy setup and administration imply that you need a smaller in-house team to maintain stable performance and update your Salesforce solution.
Against
Salesforce, like other cloud CRMs, completely depends on the Internet. So, any problem with Internet access can have a negative effect on your business.
Products for different business demands
For
Salesforce includes a lot of clouds and apps which have the most popular business functionality, client support, and even marketing features. Also, you can use the Lighting Platform and Site.com to create a web portal or your custom app for interactions with partners and clients.
Against
Additional products require extra investments. If you want to work with various Salesforce apps for selling, marketing, or support, you need to increase the budget.
Diverse functionality
For
There are Salesforce products for automating various business processes and managing your teamwork. You can use Salesforce Sales Cloud features at all stages of selling, as well as serve clients with Service Cloud via online and offline channels or provide personified offers across various communication channels with the Marketing Cloud.
Against
All versions of Salesforce (be it the Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, or Unlimited edition) have some limitations. For example, there are limits on the number of verifications, custom fields, and data storage. If you need more than 10 GB for your clients’ data, you should find another way to increase data storage capacity, using additional sources.
Customization
For
You can customize and configure Salesforce with both code and out-of-the-box point-and-click tools. The platform allows you to add tabs, fields, and tweak templates to your needs. You can also set up reports and tools for managing support and sales.
Against
Another side of the coin is a too sophisticated CRM. Additional functions and custom fields can complicate work for your team members. This leads to the low efficiency and affects the performance of your company.
Integration
For
Salesforce can work with different external systems, such as social media, ecommerce platforms, IT Service Management, etc. There are default integrations and APIs that enable data exchange between Salesforce and various business systems.
Against
In several cases, OOTB options are not enough. For example, Salesforce Connect doesn’t support any kind of document libraries except SharePoint. That’s why you should refer to additional software development to access the functionality you need.
Pricing
For
The cost of your subscription depends on how many people in your company use Salesforce. You can always increase the required number of licenses by simply buying more.
Against
Although the official website shows the price of Salesforce per person per month, the payments are annual, and you should plan the required budget ahead. Personalized settings, development apps, and integrations with your business tools are paid separately.
Customer support
For
Salesforce promotes the self-service of clients with the Trailblazer Community. This is a place where clients can find answers to their technical questions and share their experience. Sometimes client ideas are addressed in the upcoming platform updates. You can find useful reports and podcasts in the official Salesforce blog. Also, there is a Trailhead, an online learning resource with the description of all releases from 2014.
Against
There are not all answers in the Trailblazer Community. Also, the Salesforce live support is not that fast, as many customers claim. You should be prepared for the need to turn to third-party service providers for support and maintenance.
UI features
For
Salesforce UI, known as Lightning Experience, has a simple structure and features which help service agents and sales managers get clear instructions to effectively interact with clients and control key moments.
Against
You need to optimize JavaScript to speed up the CRM pages’ loading, as Javascript can slow down particular workflows. Salesforce updating can change several tabs and dashboards so you will need to train your employees to use new functions. Such updates are held three times a year, so you should be ready for frequent changes.
Salesforce is a multifunctional and highly customizable CRM platform, which can support complex business processes and drive the productivity of sales, customer service, and marketing teams.
Do you know other Salesforce pros and cons? Feel free to share in the comments.